EC insists: "Amuriat must appear in person without fail"

The Electoral Commission has said it's not ready to receive the FDC presidential candidate Patrick Oboi Amuriat on Christmas day as the candidate indicated in his letter to the commission.

Paul Bukenya, the acting EC spokesperson, said Amuriat must urgently appear in person before the commission because the matters to be discussed are crucial.

Last week, the Electoral Commission boss Justice Simon Byabakama summoned two presidential candidates Patrick Oboi Amuriat and Robert Kyagulanyi Ssentamu of NUP to appear before the commission and explain why they have flouted the Covid-19 SOPs in their conduct of their rallies.

Early this week, Kyagulanyi appeared before the commission and tendered in his defence but Amuriat said he is too busy with his campaigns and  can only appear on Christmas day when he will be free. He sent Nandala Mafabi, the party secretary general to deliver his message.

But Bukenya said the EC is not willing to meet the FDC candidate on Christmas as he requested.

Bukenya said the EC has no intention of disqualifying Amuriat from the race but wants to have an interaction with him.

Meanwhile two Resident City Commissioners; Anderson Buroora of Nakawa and Hood Hussein of Kawempe have asked the EC to think of organising a central media channel which presidential candidates can use to campaign in Kampala instead of having rallies that will lead to a spike in Covid-19 infections.

The commission however is opposed to the idea of blocking presidential candidates from campaigning in Kampala as proposed by Buroora and Hussein.